The Rescue of Luminara Unduli
by Johnt12345
Summary: While the Ghost crew and friends plan to rescue Luminara from Stygeon, an evil beyond belief infiltrates Ahsoka and Lux Bonteri's large family. Her mission? To kill them all. This is a story of how one succeeds and one fails. AU. (Maybe not a lot of Luxsoka but I'll try, being the hopeless romantic I am.) Arigato to Darksawr ("Mandalorian Rebel") for permission to use an OC.
1. The Birth of an Assassin

—•—

**NOTE. This updated chapter (05-02-2015) is a much stronger "T" rating than previously published. I agreed with Norik956 that the assassin was getting beat around too much but I also decided, at the same time to make this a crossover, to reintroduce the original debauchery of the assassin that I had written at first.  
**

**Rated a VERY STRONG 'T' (not for lemons/cussing/bodily descriptions/extreme violence; just Imperial-type evilness, but for mentions of nudity, and off-hand mentions of sex). You have been warned.  
**

—•—

**The Rescue of Luminara Unduli**

**Chapter One  
The Birth of an Assassin**

—•—

I

For leagues around, as far as the curvature of the planet allowed, the fire was visible, seen by untold millions. A fire off in the far horizon caused by one man, and one man only—Anakin Skywalker.

The fire of the Jedi Temple.

The Temple had stood for a thousand generations, and now, here, at that moment, within comparative moments, all was destroyed. Destroyed easily because it was destroyed from within. Destroyed not only by the very comrades the Jedi had fought with, the "Clone Warriors" they fought and died with, but also by the Jedi themselves.

Destroyed by, as one would say later, their "lack of vision." But also by their ideas and policies that lacked reality and also by their arrogance; an arrogance that had creapt slowly into the Jedi Order, clouding their minds, hampering their thoughts, and casting aside some who were the greatest friends of the Jedi, as well as one of their own in the last few months. There could be only one end to any entity with such, shall I say, 'quality,' or lack thereof—extinction and nothing but.

Around the Temple, past a safe distance from it, thousands had gathered in a large circle, gazing upon the great fire. Some could give a lark, some were, unfortunately, satisfied—and some were crying, seeing the end of the last guardians of civility in the galaxy, and terrified at what would replace the Order. Some of these were retired officers and uniformed soldiers not from Kamino, proud to have served with the GAR and to have even talked with a Jedi Knight a time or two. Some were the shopkeepers where the Jedi frequented. And some were the friends of the Jedi—perhaps even something more than a friend. These few knew the good side of a Jedi, and of those, some had became better persons from the example. All this emotion was caused by one man, and one man only.

Anakin Skywalker. Now Darth Vader.

II

He was about to end her small life with a quick light saber stroke, but suddenly, unexpectedly, pity, simple pity, stayed his hand. It was her eyes, reflected in the fire of the burning Temple. So much like those of his lost Padawan that the Jedi had abused and taken from him. He remembered, and felt pity. He couldn't harm the little girl before him, not at all. For doing so would be like harming her.

But then, relentlessly, an evil started to take over his mind, just by thinking of the Jedi Council. Reality of the moment came back to him. He then saw not a little girl, but someone who can be used. Used to his now nefarious ends. She was perfect. Just the right age at just the right time. She was young enough to be molded, yet old enough to fear. Yes. That was what she would be, clay to be molded to become whatever he wanted; his minion, his slave, his terminator. She was strong with the Force or she would never have been here in the Temple. She was perfect. Then he physically grabbed her up from against the wall where she had been trapped and took her to the leader of his troopers killing off the Jedi, CC-3636, also known amongst his comrades as "Wolffe." This clone came up to him, and swaying with his walk were the light saber trophies he had garnered and the Padawan braids and bead strings he had collected from his own kills, some with red blood drying on them, staining his armor.

"Yes, sir," said the clone as he came up to his superior.

"Take her to Cell-399."

"Request for confirmation; Cell-399, sir?"

"You heard me, 399."

There was good reason for this back-and-forth. Cell-399 was a secret holding cell set up by the Chancellor and the most inner sanctum of the GAR, such as Admiral Tarkin, to sequester the most implacable of the Separatist leaders. Not even the Jedi, not even Master Yoda, knew of this cell. Few who went in came out in one piece—if at all, and those who did had no sanity left to call their own.

"There is a Seppie in there now, Lord Vader," informed the clone.

"Then take him out-"

"Her, sir."

"All right then, take her out, put the girl in and shoot the woman dead. My Master won't need the Separatists anymore."

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir."

And so the girl's next life, that would start with a killing, would only end years and years later after scores more had died, most of them by her own hand.

III

At first there was nothing, nothing but darkness. A darkness so completely lonely that she screamed out after a time—and no one answered her screams. Even her slight training of reaching out with the Force was utterly useless. Soon enough, she was talking to herself, sometimes just to make sure she was alive, or that she was sane. She couldn't know that her sanity was slowly, imperceptibly, being replaced by a demon. So lonely she was that she craved any response other than the echo of her screams. And, days later, just as she was on the brink of despair, someone answered, "Are you ready child?"

She was ready to answer anyone with supplication. "Yes, master. What do you want me for?"

The cloaked figure stood rigid. "You will ask no questions! You are not ready!" it bellowed before slamming the cell door shut, leaving her in darkness again. She screamed out in mental anguish, screamed until she was so tired of screaming that she fell unconscious in the middle of one. Uncountable days and countless screams later, when her face became more blanched and wan, her hair stringy and matted, only getting scraps of food she knew not how nor could see, did the cloaked man come back.

"Are you ready child?" the man asked in the same exact tone as before. She saw that as being given a second chance, that he had forgiven her mistake. The last thing she wanted to do was to go back, so she bent her head down to the floor and only said, "Yes, my Master."

As she went out of the cell, even the darkened corridor almost blinded her. It would take hours for her sight to come back. But as if to mock what she had been through, the dimly lighted room she was in, as her eyes became more used to her surroundings, was more luxurious than she had ever seen or heard about. If her handlers, she started to call them 'My Protectors' in her mind, were showing what was hers if she would be good, so as not to go back to where she just came from, they were doing a good job. A very good job. Now, there was almost nothing she wouldn't do to prevent from going back into that room. And that, unkenned by her, was her first step down a slope into the darkness from which she would never return until the end.

IV

As her eyes became better with the light, she started her training. First, she was coerced, or, more likely, indoctrinated, little by little, into distrust. She was shown her family, how much they loved her, and how painful it was for them to let her go. She loved her mother and father so, so much. Then she remembered the longing she felt for them even after all these few years. When she asked how they were and if she could see them, the old Zabrack with a kindly face, or as kind as he known as the ex-Darth Maul could make it, then showed her what he called a stolen security video of her parents, who seemed to be a little older now than in the previous video, being murdered by someone in a Jedi uniform with a blue light saber. She was shocked and cried and cried; and little by little, hate for the Jedi started to engerm itself into her.

"We just got this in," the Zabrack continued after allowing the girl to calm herself. "The Jedi killed your mother and father to keep them quiet. I'm so sorry. But be assured. Good Lord Sidious, in his benevolence, has castigated this Jedi with the proper punishment for what he did to the parents of one he so loves."

After the girl recovered, she asked with some malice in her voice, "How may I return this love for the Good Lord?"

"I myself have transgressed against Lord Sidious. But he is forgiving. Do as he asks and you shall become whole again."

"Yes, my Teacher," she said as she bowed low to the Zabrak.

Her physical training soon began as well. To begin with, her training to resist pain. She was pierced with, at first, thin needles. Every time she winced, she was slapped to the floor.

"Show no pain! You are above pain!" she was ordered. But the needles hurt so. Many times she was slapped to the floor. Again and again. But after some trials, she got control of her mind. She controlled the pain in her mind. She got control of her mind in the worst way—by hatred for the Jedi who killed her parents. Then, the level of pain was raised, raised by thicker needles being thrust into her. Again and again she was slapped to the floor. But after a time, heightening her rage against the Jedi, she was able to overcome these as well.

Then, and only then, did her saber training start. Many times a saber flicked her skin, but she showed no pain. No. This time she was slapped to the floor for her laziness and lack of skill. Her trainers hit her hard. So hard that her hatred to her trainers was added towards the Jedi for killing her parents. Day by day her hatred increased. Day by day, hatred consumed her, and became a part of her, and was a part of her natural being. And day by day, she became better. She was older now, by some few years from the time Lord Vader had rescued her.

All during this time, the galaxy was crumbling around her and freedom was becoming a thing of the past, remembered only by the older people. Many years had passed in her training, as she went from girl to woman. Light saber training, mediation, weapons, stealth infiltration—all that would be needed for a top assassin.

She also went on missions as she got older, to prove her 'worthiness,' as her Lord would say. This uncooperative Senator shot through the head while in the height of passion making love to his mistress; that business-leader, suspected of dealing with the nascent rebellion, just suspected mind you, shot the same way during a speech in a board meeting. All her targets met the same fate, either by sniper rifle, light saber thrust, or an old-fashioned metallic knife across the throat. She was good, very good. Many heard of these murders and were cowered just by that.

V

Then, on a day she had bested her trainers, while she was sleeping, she was violently bound and gagged and thrown into a room. This room was very different than the one she was thrown into when she was a little girl, although she didn't know it for the first few hours. She was still bound and gagged and it took her a few hours to get herself free, but when she did the despair of her mind reached its lowest. She wished she hadn't freed herself.

The room was nothing but white—completely white. Everything. Nothing but white. White. Even the food they gave her was white. All white. And sound. There was no sound. At all. Nothing but white. Many days for her passed in this white room. She yelled to be let free, that she was loyal, but these pleas went unheard. And soon, the blankness of her mind was in concordance with the blankness of her room, and her life. Then, she was ripe. Ripe for mind control and anything anyone said to her. And what they said to her would become part of her. "Kill all Jedi. Do as I say," in a raspy, crackling voice she had not heard before. And those words and all else they said became a part of her. Then, she was ready.

She was then to be passed on to one who would give her her first big assignment. An assignment to kill a Jedi. But before that, she was to meet her soon-to-be Mentor's Master's Master, Darth Sidious. She was very anxious.

When she met him, she was overawed by the trappings of his office. As she entered, she kept her head down, looking at the rich carpeting. "Come closer, my child," she heard. It was the voice she often heard in her head. It was a voice soothing and that brought her confidence. This man seemed to be very special in bringing that out in people.

Then she heard the respirator breath of Lord Vader. She did not fear this sound, but instead was used to it and found comfort in it, as if it was a sound to bathe her in steadfastness in the constant breathing in and out. Steady as a flowing river.

"You have done very well," Lord Sidious began. "You will first be assigned to Lord Vader's assistant. A Pau'an is he not, Lord Vader?"

"Yes, Master," answered the deep voice of Lord Vader.

"Yes, good," said the Emperor. He then got up from his large desk and went to a large ceiling-to-floor, strut-to-strut window and looked out it. "But, young lady, let me give you a small taste of what will happen if you fail me or spite me," he said. He didn't move but suddenly the girl could feel her throat constricting, more and more. Then she felt herself being lifted completely from the floor. She didn't panic. She didn't show that she was in pain. She did not lift her hands to her throat, but kept them at her sides. All the while, the steady breathing of Lord Vader went on and on, in and out, in and out, like a river flowing. After what seemed an eternity but was actually moments, she was released from the invisible grip and landed on the carpeted floor. She did not fall on the floor, gasping for breath, like someone weaker would have done, but kept her balance on her feet. As she recovered with some deep breaths of her own, Sidious looked over to her, very, very pleased.

"Very good. Very good," he said pleased in his raspy voice, even with a smile. "Well, send her on Lord Vader, as soon as possible."

"As you wish, my Master."

VI

Some Imperial days later, she arrived at an unattended docking bay on Lothal. The she was to get her assignment and continue with further training. The Pau'an who was to give her assignment came up to her. As she walked up to him, she turned to see the shuttle she came on. It had come about and was ready to return to where it came from. Then, suddenly, as it gained some distance between it and the docking bay high in the sky, it exploded. As she turned back to the Pau'an, she could see the smile on his face that she was sure was the same on hers.

"No witnesses, um?"

"No, Master," she smiled. She was met with a searing glare from the Pau'an, "There is only one Master in this Galaxy! The Great Benevolent Lord Sidious! And one Apprentice! Lord Vader! And don't you forget it!" he snarled to the girl. He then turned round, with his back facing her, almost inviting her to cut him down then and there. He could feel the hate boiling up in the girl towards him, and he smiled. "I am your Mentor, your Drilldon, and you are my Student nothing more, nothing less."

The girl settled and steadied her feelings. Remembering the steady breathing of Lord Vader surprisingly helped her with this. "Yes, Mentor. As you wish," she said as bowed to the Pau'an, still turned away from him.

"Now, it is late. We will start training tomorrow. You have had dinner?"

"Yes, Mentor," she said still bowed down.

"Good. Now," he turned his head halfway towards her and put on a sick smile that she could not see, "Go warm my bed."

"As you wish, my Mentor."

The next day, she began the training for her assignment. She got some details from the Pau'an. Every time he mentioned the targets, anger rose in his throat, and he was sometimes barely able to get his words out. She would have to infiltrate as someone sympathetic to the rebellion. The thought made her stomach turn but she held it down for the sake of Lord Sidious.

The first thing she did was to put a tattoo on her left shoulder in a tone that was subdued so that it seemed to have aged. Then, when it was healed, with a metallic knife, in front of the Pau'an completely nude and not attempting to cover herself, she slowly drew the curved tip across the tattoo, smiling straight at her Mentor all the stroke. But rather than bandage it with bacta, she would salve it with Correlian wine, naturally of a very good year. The alcohol would sanitize the wound, but the essence of the wine would make the scar more red, more prominent. Mentor was impressed.

The next day, while the scar she put there herself was bandaged and healing, she and her Mentor went to Stygeon Prison in a small ship. Her Mentor wanted to show her something. It was a long trip, but, well, they found something to do in the duration of the hyperspace leg of the trip.

At the prison, her Mentor took her to a room. He told her to wait at the entrance after just entering the cell as he opened the cell door. She noticed that someone was there as she was descending the stairs. It was of a Mirialan woman who looked very sad. She was sitting in a posture of complete dejection, with her cuffed hands in front of her face. She was about to say something to the old woman, but then the Mirialan stood up and walked to the Student with a sorrowful face, biting her lip, but as if she were looking at someone else. But she was not sorry for the old woman. She knew who she was and anger of the highest was all she felt. She was about to grab her light saber and cut the woman in two for the Jedi she was, but then, suddenly, the older woman turned and headed towards a wall. She then turned around, and with a sad look, disappeared into the wall. All that was left was a small window with the older woman's face showing, decrepit, taut and dead.

"There you see is what should happen to all Jedi," her Mentor said to her as he entered the cell.

"She is—" she started.

"She _was_ Luminara Unduli. Not of the Council but a Master. She became despondent and disgraced when her Padawan bombed the Jedi Temple hangar."

"Barriss Offee."

"Yes, making her an easier target than a Master should have been. Now, the Force essence left in her bones and parched skin lure Jedi here to their doom."

"She has helped you capture some?"

"Quite a few, yes." The woman was very proud of her Mentor.

"What happened to Offee?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he answered. "She disappeared suddenly as the Valiant Lord Vader was dealing with the Jedi for the traitors they were. She may be part of the Emperor's elite guard. I believe she is part of a secret project by our Glorious Emperor."

"Like an Emperor's Hand?" She had heard of the elite group and it was her goal to become one.

"Perhaps," he replied, "Which, I might say, you have the chance to become should you finish this mission completely. No half-measures. All must die," he finished with a wave of his long, bony, white finger.

The woman became puffed up at the possibility of the great reward bestowed on her for this mission. "They shall, Mentor," she said as she bowed her head.

VII

The next training she endured, still at the immense complex of Stygeon, was unusual but intensely difficult. When she went to meet her Mentor in a training room, she was met by a large, vicious animal that would have taken her head off if she had not ignited her light saber. The animal seemed to know what the weapon was. She also felt something unusual about the animal.

"That is a vornskr," said the Pau'an as he entered the training room. "They are indigenous to the planet Myrkr in the Inner Rim. Or, at least they were before I destroyed every sign of life on that planet."

"There is something about the animal. There are sensations from it as if it was with the Force."

"Very good," answered her Mentor. "It is an animal that hunts the ysalamir using the Force. Your assignment is to grab the animal by the neck. When you succeed, you will be assigned."

"Yes, Mentor." She then went close to the vornskr. It quickly sensed her and she got a derisive look from the Pau'an. "How much time do I have?" she asked.

"Give me your light saber." She did so. "When you bring me its head, you will be assigned. You have six hours. If you do not succeed, you will be destroyed like the failure you would be."

"Yes, Mentor." She then proceeded to look at the animal. She studied it, trying to sense its weakness. Then, the vornskr started roaming around up the facility. She found it and then she tried sneaking up on it but it sensed her and attacked her. She fought it off bare-handed and was able to escape for a time. The beast seemed to be hunting for something. She followed it but lost it a few times. She found it again and tried sneaking up on it. Again, it sensed her and attacked her. Her Mentor saw this, sneaked up on her, and berated her verbally. The animal, this last attack, seemed to be weaker yet more desperate. It then hit her that if she didn't kill this thing soon, she would be inside the beast, in little torn-off pieces.

However, after this second time, she got a clue. How did her Mentor sneak up to her like that? And, how did the prey of this animal try to protect itself? A species preyed upon always has to do something to continue on, either some sort of protection or many offspring. What was it? Mentor had mentioned an animal no longer in existence, something with an unusual name. A ylsamir? A yalasimar? And what was the connection with the Force? Why the Force in this animal, certainly not a sentient?

She had gotten some clues so she needed to check them out, even if it took a few hours of the precious six she was given. In the library stolen from the Jedi Temple, she found that the ysalamir, for that was their proper name, the main prey of the vornskr, were Force-sensitive as well and could create an area where the Force was non-existent, negating the Force abilities of the vornskr. She knew she couldn't do that, but perhaps she could do the exact opposite, completely erase her existence in the Force around her. Then she remembered her Mentor. If she thought back, she couldn't sense him in the Force.

That was the answer. She would try to calm herself, while still viable in attacking the animal, and eliminate any Force sensations she gave off. It would be hard, but it was worth a try. So, she tried sneaking up to the vornskr all the while calming her existence in the Force. She failed a few times, each time closer in her escape from the desperate animal. But, with little time to spare, she finally was able to decapitate the animal and throw its head to Mentor.

"Very good," was his only response, coming out of the shadows. "You have learned a skill very useful and important for your next job—a very big and important job. You are now ready to be assigned," he said as he returned her light saber.

He then told her the rest of the details she would need to complete the assignment. It was an information-gathering assignment and her targets were only to be assassinated when she had what information she could get and all were in killing distance—but she was not to end the operation unless either her targets or she were dead. She was to continue her studies in Togruti-B, a language of her targets, but she was not to let on that she could understand it. She could use her womanly charms if she wished, since one of the targets may develop an affinity for her. And, she was not to fail—or what the Emperor gave her in his office she would get from him first and he would send her to the Emperor barely alive for him to finish off as painfully as he pleased.

VIII

Her first stop was to be Jabba's Palace. There was someone there she needed to get information from. She boldly walked into the den of the Great Jabba's, and, with enough credits thrown to his minion, was able to enter the cell of a former apprentice to her Mentor. No one dared to stop or bother her. She heard that this apprentice was good, but now, as she entered the cell, she looked pathetic. She seemed to have aged quickly. Her skin was blanched and her hair was mottled and unwashed in, it seemed, for ages. However, she did have a kernel of beauty. Mentor said that one of her targets could be attracted to her but she started to question that if this woman had failed. She got some information on a particular target from the haggardly woman, very useful for her, such as his weaknesses—of which women and womanizing did not seem to enter. And when she was finished, she light-sabered off her head for the failure she was. As she was leaving, she tossed more credits to Jabba's slave to make up for the mess she made, gave a derisive look to the denizens of the Palace, and left to go back to Lothal.

By the time she got back, there was good news. Most of her targets had made a trip to a planet in the Expansion Region. The Pau'an didn't know where they started the trip. One of her objectives was to find that planet or place they started from. She was to infiltrate the target as someone sympathetic to the rebellion. She would have to take it from there. But then, that was what she was trained for.

Information was second in priority, assassination first. She could take a few weeks, and no more, to get into the 'good graces' of the target and to get what information she could. There might be an outside chance that someone may visit with vital information but she was not to have that stop her primary mission. She was to debilitate that person if he showed and to bring him to the nearest Empire outpost for further questioning, but to terminate the rest of her targets to the last as they would be more dangerous to the Empire and Merciful Lord Sidious. This was to be her first priority. This was to be done to all—no matter who, no matter what age.

The next step was the second most dangerous preparation for the kill she needed to do to complete the mission. She needed to crash the ship enough to look like a ship had crashed, but yet not hurt her seriously. She broached this to her Mentor. For some reason he was baffled enough to ask obsequiously his Master, the Lord Vader. Surprisingly, her Mentor got some good advice on just what she needed to do to accomplish this difficult feat. She wouldn't want to ask how Lord Vader knew this but she had to smile at times when she thought about it. 'Must've had a lot experience doing it,' she thought to herself quietly.

She then made final preparation to infiltrate the targets. Their spy there said that they had shown up for an Akul hunt for one of them and it would be the perfect time to make contact with the targets. Getting the information from the spy, she plotted on a detailed topographical map the crash-landing so that it went over two knolls on a flatland near her targets and then landed in a waddi.

She went in a stolen small freighter that was nondescript enough to give it cover and sturdy and perfect in shape to crash-land purposely. But she knew the small crew of diverse species she stole it from on Kessel wouldn't mind. The dead don't whine or complain or file stolen ship reports.

Before she landed, or rather, crash-landed, on Shili, her Mentor contacted the spy on Shili and put a small platoon of stormtroopers at her disposal. These were, under her direction, to be the best sharpshooters the Empire could spare.

IX

On the planet Shili, events worked out perfectly. The targets, according to the spy, were oblivious. All she had to do was 'crash' the little freighter with a few small explosions to mimic blaster hits. This she did expertly with just a few bruises. These were planned as well to give credence to her story. After meeting the Togruta spy who was waiting in the proximity of the crash site, she then went to the clearing where the sharpshooters were waiting to do the most harrowing thing she had ever done to herself. She planned it well but there was still the risk she wouldn't survive. But it was worth it for the trophies The Great Emperor Palpatine would gain. In any case, if she was a little lucky, at least one of her soft-hearted targets would help her out, she bargained.

One piece of information she got from the spy was which way was the worst of the Akul runs. After she left him, while walking towards the stormtroopers, she had the ship they came on, piloted by a droid, move to the far side of the area. She needed to make sure those stormtroopers met their proper end.

Meanwhile, unknown of the fate that awaited them, four stormtroopers moved to a clearing and waited. "Do you know what this is about?" one of them asked.

"We'll know soon enough," said the highest rank there, "Don't worry about it." He didn't say so but he also had a hologram communicator. As soon as the woman entered the clearing, the hologram buzzed—but they didn't notice. They were too entranced by the exotic beauty of the woman who came over to them. After the shock, they started undressing her from the tight, sleeveless, white flight suit with their eyes, and one or two even got as far as imagining what they would do with her in a bed, before a voice from the communicator caught their notice.

"Well, Captain, now that I have your attention," the voice said and as they all looked over to the small device, they were stunned to see the famous, or, to some in the troops, the infamous, Inquisitor. "Are you ready?" he asked the woman. She just nodded her head. "Where first? The front or the rear?"

"The front would be better first."

"How many?"

"Two in the front. Three behind."

"If you say so," replied the Inquisitor. "You men! You are some of the best sharpshooters we have. We wouldn't want to lose you but this is a very important mission. If you succeed, the Emperor himself will reward you."

"Thank you sir. Shall we get the mission details from you or your apprentice?"

"She is not my apprentice!" the Inquisitor almost shouted, and then more calmly as if he had made a slip, "She is simply my Student and I am her Mentor." There was a pause. "She will point to places on her body. You will shoot her there."

"What!" the Captain was completely taken aback, not to mention scared. "But she's, she's, . . ."

"She is very beautiful, I admit," returned the Inquisitor as all the troopers were looking at him stunned, "But she is not unarmed," he said just as they heard a click and a low hum. They all looked to the woman only to see a red light saber and imminent death-dealing on her face. With lightning speed, she cut one of the troopers in half at the waist and then calmly walked to where she had been.

"The same awaits he who misses and shoots air," she calmly said. "We are wasting time. Get on with it."

"Sir, yes, sir!" said the three troopers remaining. She then pointed to two places in her front, her right thigh, at the vastus externus muscle, and the crown of her left deltoid, just below her clavicle. The men raised their rifles. The load was less powerful than usual and would not cause killing or great damage, but enough.

"You may fire," said the Inquisitor. They hit her where she pointed to and she stumbled back. The troopers, despite the death of their comrade at her hands, one could tell were concerned even though they were in their armor. She then stood back up straight and turned around. She then pointed to three places, her left gluteus medius, just below the crest of her left illium, her right calf, halfway between the knee and the ankle, but laterally, and the lateral head of her left triceps. This time, the shots knocked her to the ground. The Captain started to go to her, concerned for her, but the Inquisitor stopped him, "Let her be! She will find her way."

She stood unsteadily, looked back to the men with a serious face, turned her face back, and then stumbled away. The men were left looking after her, stunned beyond belief at not just what they had to do, but also the power of the young woman. Of them, the Captain was particularly shocked at what had just transpired.

After a few hundred meters, she fell on the ground, got back up and walked unsteadily for a few hundred meters more. More than the pain, which she was trained to ignore, she was concerned about the loss of blood. Some would look good, but too much would be worrisome. She was starting to get worried. She placed her hand over her right thigh wound to try to stop the blood. She didn't have anything else to use.

There were tufts of turu grass here and there but further on there was a bank of trees. Good. She could use the branches of them to help her along. She could hear the tramping of some small animals; perhaps the thimar starting to rummage for food. These she didn't mind, but it was the Akul that worried her, albeit not as much as the loss of blood. The Akul could sniff out a blood scent for clicks and if she didn't hurry, they would be upon her sooner than she thought. But it didn't matter if she couldn't find the targets soon. She would die of the loss of blood.

After a time, the distance crawled was matching the distance walked. 'This is the end,' she cried in her mind. 'I have failed. I am sorry My Emperor.' She then fell for the last time and crawled. Crawled to the last ounce of her power. She thought she had lost too much blood. 'I'm so sorry.'

_Peace is a lie, there is only passion.  
_She stood, took a few steps and then fell to the ground

_Through passion, I gain strength.  
_She tried crawling on all fours but soon collapsed

_Through strength, I gain power.  
_She grabbed a long, low-lying branch to pull her along.

_Through power, I gain victory.  
_She turned herself on the ground skywards and looked to the sun, waiting for death.

_Through victory, my chains are broken.  
_She could hear children's voices. She smiled an evil smile and mock-yelled for help.

_The Force shall free me.  
_She heard the children come up to her. She had succeeded. Her mission of death was to begin. She closed her eyes.

* * *

"How horrible Arya. How did she get like this?" she heard a girl's voice ask.

"I don't know, Alina. Look! The tattoo. She must be with the Alliance. She must have been shot escaping. Mama said there was some Imperial activity not far away and to be careful," a different girl's voice said.

"The Imperials must've slashed the tattoo. Poor woman. Can you help her, Arya?"

"I don't know. Here, take Precious." Arya gave Alina the little girl to hold while she tried to see what she could do for the woman. Arya was strong in healing with The Force and she would try to help this woman.

"She looks like you and Aila do. She has Togruta markings."

"Be quiet, Alina, I'm trying to concentrate." So Arya, herself a hybrid between a human and a Togruta but with human hair instead of lekku and montrals, concentrated hard as she used the Force going through her hands, to staunch the blood from what seemed the worst wound, the front of her right thigh, as well as to calm the woman. She was very good at it.

"I'll call Aila to bring a blanket while I cut some poles."

"Good idea, Alina. Have Aila bring two blankets. Put Precious here nearby."

The woman was finally able to open her eyes. As she did so, she could see a girl soothing her with the Force. She relaxed as the girl helped to stop the blood. She was starting to recover.

"Please stay quiet," the girl whose face was hidden by her hair but helping to heal her said softly.

She then heard some footsteps and looked to see a light-skinned Togruta girl with montrals and another, older girl with hair but Togruta markings. These two quickly and expertly made up a makeshift stretcher from a blanket and the two poles. This they smoothly slid under the woman and lifted her up and put the other blanket over her. The girl helping her had the same face markings as the others she could see now. Past her was another Togruta-looking girl on a blanket on the ground.

She had found her targets.

"I told Mama. She is ready for her," said the oldest.

"All right," said the other one with human hair, a little curtly.

So Aila and Arya gently carried the woman to the encampment of the family while Alina was doing the same with Precious. As they did so, in their kindness, they, unbeknownst to them, took in an evil that would kill them all.

Or die trying.

—•—

**Thank you for reading this. **

**As for Darth Maul; he is still alive at the end of _Son of Dathomir_ and since this story is years later and Mandalore has been taken over by the Imperials (i.e., Sabine in the Imperial Academy there), I don't think I am too AU for having him here.**

**Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Darth Maul and the Inquisitor are characters the property of Disney. The assassin is an original character with this story. The four girls here, Aila, Arya, Alina, and Precious are original characters from my story, "An Oasis in a Sea of Hate." (See Chapter 7 and beyond for more detail of them.) Darksawr's original character will make an appearance in the next chapter. Also, thank you to Darksawr and ahsokanerd for advice on rating and category for this story.**

**I am having some trouble with the names. They can't use 'Master' or 'Apprentice' to each other. I was going to use 'Sensei' and 'Deshi' from Japanese but thought it a little insensitive. 'Drilldon' is a combination of 'Drill sergeant' and 'Don.' Please let me know what you think.**

**I read in Mark Twain's "A Tramp Abroad" that when he was visiting Germany at about 1880 or so, he went to a military academy and saw some fencing. Many of the cadets had scars and he wrote that when cadets got a sword scar on the face, they would daub it with wine to make the scar more prominent.**

**The torture in the white room is from Wikipedia under "Psychological Torture." As for the villainess asking someone to shoot her, it is a common theme in movies for criminals to rough themselves up or have someone beat the heck out of them for a better alibi, which is her reason as well (but maybe a little over the top).**

**I would like to credit norik956 for the idea (in "The Hidden Truth") that the breathing of Darth Vader can be soothing to some.**

**The concept of Wolffe's trophies is a portrayal of Rex in a FanFiction (I can't remember the name) where Darth Vader actually kills Ahsoka. (I first had Rex in here but noticed it at the last minute. In my Oasis story (Chapter 10), he and the Torrent Company had their chips taken out (see the "Fives" arc in Season Six, "The Lost Episodes.") so they defected to protect the Jedi and later help the Rebellion, so ****I corrected it. Maybe I just wanted to put it to the Rexsoka fans.)**

**The next chapter will be the second storyline in this FanFiction.**

**johnt  
**


	2. An Acquisition Made

—•—

**I re-did Chapter One of this story when I published this chapter to a much stronger 'T.' You might want to re-read it if you have the desire. The antagonist gets hit less (thanks to Norik956) but is more debauched. You have had your warning if you go back to Chapter One.**

—•—

**The Rescue of Luminara Unduli**

**Chapter Two  
An Acquisition Made  
**

—•—

From Chapter One:

_So, Aila and Arya gently carried the woman to the encampment of the family while Alina was doing the same with Precious. As they did so, in their kindness, they, unbeknownst to them, took in an evil that would kill them all._

_Or die trying._

—•—

I

In the meantime, Lux Bonteri, husband to Ahsoka Tano, Jedi Knight, and the father of these (and several other) girls, and newly appointed Vice-Admiral to the Fleet of the Alliance to Restore Democracy, was on Tatooine. If there was one planet he hated in this universe, it was this one. The only redeeming quality of the planet was, amazingly, Jabba the Hutt, who, on top of doing him a favor, was, at least, the only one on this planet who didn't want him dead if he or she or they knew who he was. And considering Jabba was the leader of a posse of bounty hunters, that was a big help. Of course, he couldn't account for these bounty hunters when they were away from the Palace of Jabba. That was what he would have to look out for.

He was looking down at this boots, his barely visible boots. 'How in Creation could this happen?' he thought. He could barely feel the wind wisping in his face; but from just above his ankles to the ground was a veritable sandstorm. It was like looking at a real sandstorm from high above. But, wouldn't you know, his boots were getting filled with sand as he stood. Wicked. The freaking sand was blowing through the clasps, through the zipper, through the seal, all the way into his boots. The longer he stayed like this, the more his boots got filled. Walking was just as interesting since when he stepped down, the sand would violently beat against his boots so that they were becoming scarred.

He looked over to his human partner. He was a good man from Mandalore that had complemented the crew of the _Ghost_ since that cursed Pau'an had attacked his family. It was said that Sabine and he had become close, even though, at times, he was doing missions with the _Ghost_ in his own ship, a _Firespray 31_. He, at least, didn't seem to mind the sand. Must be a Mandalorian thing. Able to put up with anything.

He was a good man, not too young to be reckless but not too old to make physical mistakes. He could get down and dirty, as the scar across his cheek attested to, like the best of them, but his closely cropped blond hair said he preferred to keep himself tidy and clean. His jaw was firm, but what most impressed the Admiral was his eyes. Eyes that were steady under any circumstances, any calamity. Eyes that never left their target until victory was had. He, the Admiral, was one like that, never taking his eyes from his target until it was defeated, or, unavoidably, destroyed. He learned that when he was young, fighting for the freedom of Onderon against the stooge, King Rash. Leonidas, for that was the name of the Mandalorian with him, seemed to have learned that much, much younger, however.

Leonidas was suited in Mandorian armor. It was a tough armor—tough enough to withstand a lightsaber. He was glad that Ahsoka or Mina didn't have to face these people, unless they were bounty hunters. But such a one had never bothered them. 'Thank the One Above' that at least Sabine and Leonidas were on his and Ahsoka's side.

"Evaluation, Mando-One." he asked to the Mandolorian. They were both surreptitiously scoping out a drab building about 100 meters distant.

"A very squat building but very cavernous inside. There is lots of space in there. Room to fight but hiding may be difficult."

"Mm, understood. Very good. Have Supermodel and Squawman topside while Mando-One infiltrates beforehand. What do you think?" The crew needed new code names since the old ones had been linked to them already.

"Agreed. With Airbear driving cover and Junior spotting. I suggest having Gummybear stand guard outside to help with anyone who follows outside."

"Good idea," was the response. Then suddenly, they both started laughing. They were not loud laughs. They were the laughs only a warrior would make, full, but silent. Years in close proximity to enemies had fostered that in both men. "How in the galaxy did he get that?" the Admiral rejoined after a while.

"Well, Skipper, he was the one who chose it."

"You mean like how Supermodel got her name?"

"No. I chose that for her."

"Did she have a choice?"

"No. But she didn't complain either."

"Must be a Mandolorian thing," then a pause while looking through some micro-binoculars, "Well, Mando-One, it looks good. At least," he paused, "at least you guys didn't name me 'The Old Man,'" he finished lowering the binoculars. They both smiled at that.

Then there was a quiet buzzing from Leonidas's comm-link. He answered it, "Mando-One here. Over."

"Mando-One, this is Home Base. Are you and The Old Man finished yet?" said the unmistakeable voice of Zeb.

The Admiral broke in before Leonidas could. "Skipper here. Almost finished," Admiral Bonteri replied. Leonidas handed the Admiral the comm link.

"Roger, sir. Umm, sorry, sir."

"That's all right. Airbear, can you give us a situation report?"

There was a short silence until Hera's clear and confident voice came over the comm link. "Skipper, Mando-One, this is Airbear. We just got a Boomer out of the blue. It's on the opposite side, out of line of sight. We got an AT-DP riding herd on a half dozen crunchies ten clicks northeast of Homebase but heading away. Over."

"Airbear, any blaster sponges with the Boomer?"

"Not on the scope, Skip."

"Affirmative. Any vibes by Squawman or Junior?"

There was a silence and then a funny sound coming over the comm link. The Admiral understood immediately. "Reign in the jollies, Airbear." The crew still needed to get used to the new codenames apparently.

Hera came back in laughingly, "Negative, Skip. All clear there."

"Roger, roger, Airbear." Admiral Bonteri turned to his partner. He looked interested so he gave the comm link back to Leonidas. He was worried about bounty hunters.

"Airbear, this is Mando-One. Any loose guns spotted by Supermodel?"

"All clear on that point, Mando-One. At least not in the open."

That really didn't calm Leonidas that much. He knew there were some damned good guns out there. They were probably listening in right now, getting every word. But the mission, for the good of the Jedi and the Rebellion, was too important to let some loose cannons get in the way. They were fighting for the credits in hand. Leonidas was fighting for those who never saw him, never knew him, but went to an elementary school a hundred years from now named after him. He knew how to deal with those loose guns. Admiral Bonteri was a genius with fleets and the events that change history for generations. Probably'd get a university named after him. The Battle of Maridun was galaxy changing, something the Empire probably wouldn't ever recover from. Admiral Bonteri did that. (If only he had been there, he could have put a lot of hurt on the Empire.) But Leonidas knew the down and the gritty. He knew what the Admiral didn't.

"Roger, Airbear. Over to Skipper." Leonidas handed the comm link to Admiral Bonteri.

"Nothing else, Airbear?"

"Not at the moment," was the response.

"Understood. Skipper," there was a pause as the Admiral looked to his partner, who responded with a small shake of the head, "And Mando-One out." Admiral Bonteri handed the comm link back to Leonidas. He then looked back over to the squat but spacious cantina where they would have to meet someone—someone unplanned. And if the Admiral knew this person, he knew she wouldn't like it. "Now we just have to convince Airbear and the crew."

"I'm sure it'll go all right. Rank does have its privilege." They both lightly laughed at Leonidas's quip.

"Let's get back to them," Lux said with a smile.

The Admiral then turned around. As he did so, he looked askance at the droid, an HK-51 Assassin Droid, Leonidas had with him. He didn't like droids, even cooking and cleaning droids, as it was (except for astromechs on good days and protocols only when he needed them), but especially droids with the firepower this one had. The droid, or 'canner' as Admiral Bonteri derisively called them, was veritably bristling with armaments—hidden or carried. "I don't like droids," he started, "Especially those packing. Canners like you killed too many of my friends."

The droid, if anything, was taken aback by that.

"Who would that be?" asked Leonidas with curiosity, but not a little stunned, like his droid, by the Admiral's vitriolic tone.

"The rebels on Onderon for one—especially for one" he replied sadly. "Later, troopers from the GAR whom I did some missions to re-supply friends of the Republic with. Good men. Killed by the likes of you," he finished bitterly, glaring at HK. He started to walk away.

HK responded to this as a droid would, unemotionally. "Admiral, do you mean the likes of the B1 Battle Droids of the C.I.S?" The Admiral turned back and nodded. "But those clone troopers"―there was a short pause―"Didn't they kill off the Jedi?"

Admiral Bonteri was stumped. HK had a point, he had to admit. He had come to love the Jedi in the short time he knew them. Good people, fighting the hard fight for little or no reward—except to maybe become One with the Force. He relented in his attitude a little. "Touché, HK," was his only response, "Touché." His human companion, Leonidas, smiled at the small ground the Admiral gave in his feelings towards his own droid companion, HK. "Well in your case, HK," the Admiral took up the conversation, "I'll make an exception."

HK bowed slightly at the compliment with a "Thank you."

"HK," said the Admiral, "Just don't shoot anyone. We don't want to attract too much attention." When saying that, the Admiral and Leonidas noticed that if a droid could look disappointed, with head slightly bowed and shoulders slightly drooped, it was HK right then. They both smiled at that and the three together went on to the _Ghost_ to talk over their plans. After giving a last look back at their objective, they went back to where the _Ghost_ was parked.

Along the way, Leonidas wanted to know a little more about his companion. After all, it wasn't everyday you met an Admiral, in command of fleets of ships. But all he could think of was something simple, something from the past. But, you understand, Leonidas was a Mandalorian—and such as he were they.

"Skipper, you knew the Clone Warriors?"

"Affirmative. They were damned good men deviously corrupted by an evil man for a moment of complete genocide. They knew not what they did. Even though they killed my father in The Clone Wars, I did not harbor hatred for them after a time before Order 66. I actually felt sorry for them much later."

"They were good men?"

"Yes. I liked being around them for the steadfastness they had; for one reason.

"Aye," responded Leonidas, "_That_ is how we are."

"I noticed that—especially in you, Leonidas." They both smiled at each other.

Then Leonidas had a curiosity bubble up. He smiled when he asked, as if he knew what the answer would be—if but just to hear it. "If I may, wasn't there another reason?"

"There certainly was. I had my work cut out for me keeping them away from Ahsoka—off the battlefield, of course. They were 110% battle ready anywhere near it"

"Of course, of course," Leonidas responded. "It seems I've heard the name 'Ahsoka' before." He had.

"She's my wife, my woman. Although your gal Sabine likes to call her The—," he looked around to make sure no one was around and said slightly more quiet, "'The Jedi Baby Machine.'"

"I've never heard that," said Leonidas sardonically. The Admiral looked unbelieving at Leonidas. "How many do you have?" Leonidas asked simply, not knowing what such a question involved.

Lux stopped almost mid-stride. He couldn't walk and count the number of his children at the same time. He started talking to himself, counting on, to his companion's compete surprise, two hands. "Let's see, . . . Zeri, . . . Mina . . . Aila . . . Arya . . . there's Amini, then Alina, or is it Alina then Amini? . . . Then there's Almas . . . Precious . . . Akila . . ." And on and on. In fact, he had to do it twice. Then suddenly, "Nine. We have nine girls." They resumed their walk back to the _Ghost_.

Leonidas was shocked, not just at how many, but . . .

"Nine?!" "All girls?!" He was a little taken aback.

"Yeah. Nine. All girls." There was a pause, then some teasing sort of laugh from Leonidas. The Admiral responded, "I know, I know," then another pause in the conversation, "We are going to have another pretty soon I think."

"Another? We?" Leonidas was a little taken aback. "Isn't she the one having it?" Leonidas asked simply.

Lux smiled at his partner. "Certainly, Mando-One. I help to, how shall I say? I help to lay the keel and . . ."

"And she can launch the ship herself well enough?" chided Leonidas.

"Well, partner, that's one way to put it. Yes. She has a midwife kind of to whack it . . ."

"With a champagne bottle?"

"No, no. Of course not. Just a whack to the bottom to get the engines started. You know what I mean?"

"I guess so."

The older man paused a bit to let everything sink in for Leonidas. "Well, the way you and Supermodel are going, I think you'll find out soon enough."

"I guess so."

"Well, I know so."

"You do?"

"Sure. But don't worry, Mando-One. You'll still be needed—pay the orthodontist's bills, tutors, stuff like that."

"I guess I have a lot to look forward to."

"You sure do. And, you know what, it's all happiness, even the hard times."

"Sure. But with Supermodel, I don't think I'll need the orthodontist." His partner had a questioning look. They had gotten pretty far away from the cantina so Leonidas felt it safe to relax a little. "My gal Sabine has the best teeth I've ever seen on a girl." They both laughed a little.

"Well, that's one thing being married to a Togruta girl from Shili. There are some interesting outcomes when it comes to teeth." They both laughed.

"Your wife isn't Human?" Leonidas asked with a small hint of surprise.

"No, no. But that didn't stop us from having, what? ten kids."

"Well. I just assumed . . . ."

"That she was Human? Nah. Ahsoka has a unique specialness that goes far beyond hair or montrals. There is something inside that tells me I'm the luckiest man in the universe."

"Well, she certainly has a baby inside _her_, if that's what you mean."

The Admiral just lightly smiled. "No, Leonidas, there's a lot more. I've loved her since I first saw her and I would most likely be dead without her."

Leonidas was impressed with his Skipper, able to look past to see the inside of a person, no matter how they looked on the outside. Perhaps that's what made him special, an excellent leader. "Yeah," he came out of his contemplations, "That's how I feel about Sabine."

"Well then, Leonidas, I certainly believe we're two of the luckiest men alive." They smiled at the thoughts of their women, but before they knew it, they had arrived at the Ghost. Hera had some choice words for them.

"What took you two so long?" Hera asked as they entered, keeping the droid HK outside the ramp. Even though Lux Bonteri was an Admiral, he knew to defer to Hera for this mission, especially where the _Ghost_ was concerned. Kanan, Zeb, and Ezra looked very proud of her. Sabine became a little too busy looking after her man.

"Well," that very person responded as Sabine helped him with taking off some equipment, "I made the mistake of asking Skipper how many children he had."

"Quite understandable," replied Hera.

"I would say so," added Kanan, "Probably had to count twice."

"He did," replied Leonidas. The crew all smiled at the interchange. They were really proud of the family they had, all, umm, eighteen, soon to be nineteen, if not more, of them. Quite a big family.

"Well, let's get down to business," the Admiral brought everyone back to reality. "You all know what we need, and who from," he said with a chopping gesture with his right hand. There were worried nods all around. "It's imperative."

"It certainly is," added Hera, "especially for the Jedi still out there."

The Admiral admired Hera for her love for the Jedi that never wavered, a lot like as his own. "Then the plan is this," the Admiral said as all were listening intently, "Leonidas will infiltrate the cantina beforehand while Kanan and Sabine get ready on the roof of the place. It's only one story so you should be able to hear just about anything that happens where we are. Kanan, you have great hearing and Sabine you do too with your helmet. Zeb will be outside to help with decamping in case we're followed out or for assistance inside. Hera, for a possible quick evac we need your help above in the _Phantom_ with Ezra spotting for us and telling us what's going on around us. We're too close to the situation Ezra, so you can really help us there." Admiral Bonteri wanted Ezra to feel he was important.

There was some silent thinking for a long time about what the Admiral said. Finally, Kanan spoke up, stating the feelings of all, "Well, it sounds good on the surface. But there's always the unexpected."

"Yes, there always is," Admiral Bonteri consented, "but the most important thing is that we meet that unexpected with all the force we can. We can surprise the unexpected with even _more_ of the unexpected," he said while looking towards Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb.

"Well, like always, it's a risk," said Hera, taking in the concerns of her family, "But it will be worth it if we succeed," Hera ended as she looked worriedly to Kanan. She didn't want to lose him so soon after, well, after declaring their love for each other.

The Admiral knew the feeling. He dealt with it almost every day. "Don't worry Hera, I'll bring him back for you."

"It's not the mission now, Terry, but later I am worried about." There was a long silence. Then Sabine piped up like she always does so well in these situations.

"Well, we won't get this done talking about it," she said while putting on her Mandalorian helmet, "Let's roll."

"Yeah," said Ezra, "I so want to give that Pau'an some payback." The crew had been told of the attack by the Pau'an. They were shocked but relieved that the big family was now safe, even though they had lost two protectors, Barriss and Mina, who went out to the fight and their father was away. Kanan, however, looked worried about Ezra's remark. He knew he had feelings for Lux and Ahsoka's next oldest, Aila. The Admiral also looked worried about the boy. He knew what such feelings, if left unchecked, could lead to. He decided to leave the teaching to Ezra's master.

"Ezra, as hokey as this sounds, that is not the Jedi way. Do not let your feelings for Aila overrule your senses. That is the path to the darkside. There is one, and only one, goal to this mission. Don't you forget it." Kanan said these last few phrases more loudly and more slowly, verbally pointing out each word.

Ezra and the entire ship was very quiet for a few moments. Then, they could see Ezra straighten his posture, and seemed to be more confident in his attitude. "Yes, Master. I will," Ezra said looking Kanan fully into his eyes. Kanan smiled at that.

"Ezra," said Lux, "I know how you feel. I had the fortune to know Ahsoka when I felt my worst after my mother was killed. You have Kanan and Aila. If it helps, think of Aila as I think of my wife Ahsoka at these times. 'What would she want me to do? What would she be proud of that I did?' Then you will know what to do."

"Yes, Admiral, I understand now. Thank you." He was thinking of not only Kanan and of his girlfriend Aila, but another little girl from the family. Little Precious. Could he look at her again knowing he had done wrong? After his promise to her? Never. He knew very well what to do and would trust to the Force that he would do the right things to the end of the mission.

Soon, after a pause and silent prayer by the Admiral, the team made ready to start the operation.

Hera warned Kanan alone before he could leave. "Kanan, be careful," she began quietly, putting her hand on his arm. She came closer to him and put her hands on his chest while he wrapped an arm around her thin waist. The others found something else to do or look at. "Someone might know you there." She looked straight into his eyes. "And whatever happens, please don't show your saber. There are too many hungry bounty hunters here."

Kana replied softly, "I'll be careful, but I will do what I need to do. The last thing I'll do is to worry you too much. You can count on that. I won't do anything stupid." The looked at each other and then Kanan reached his head down to give Hera a soft, small kiss. There was silence for short time.

Then suddenly, Sabine's voice broke the silence, "Well, Leonidas, do you think we can separate the lovebirds long enough to get this job done?" Everyone, who had returned laughed at the two holding each other.

"I'm a little more concerned about _after_ we do this job. Hint. Hint," her boyfriend replied. More laughter resounded in the ship.

"Lovebirds?" "Us?" Hera and Kanan retorted, one after the other. Then looking at the two Mandalorians, "Well, maybe so. But look who's talking." The two who were the recipients of Kanan's joke blushed a little and looked down.

"Well, well," said Zeb, "If love was a weapon, we would end this Empire hands down nothing flat." Everyone smiled.

"Aye but it is," responded the Admiral, "It is an asset on our side, something the Sith can't even conceive of. It will be there for us in the right place at the right time. Ahsoka has a feeling that will happen. We just have to trust in love."

There was silence a while and then, without anyone saying anything, all in the _Ghost _headed out to their destination while Hera and Ezra went through the ship to the _Phantom. _The walk back to the cantina for Admiral Bonteri and Leonidas, who left first, was long and lonely—lonely since they had to play as if they didn't know each other, arriving at different times. Sabine and Kanan left the Ghost a little later together.

Leonidas went in first, to infiltrate the cantina while Sabine and Kanan neared their spots to climb to the roof. The Admiral went to the front of the cantina. He wasn't nervous or afraid―years of war had cured him of that. He was just keen to, as he said, 'the unexpected.' Unfortunately for him and the team, the unexpected was waiting for the right time. It would let him do what he needed to do, and then . . . .

When, after checking everyone was in position, and with a code phrase of warning, Admiral Bonteri entered the cantina:

"Helm's alee."

As he entered, he could see why there was space in the center. Around the open center, there were tables ringing the sides of the cantina. Off to the right was a band of musicians. Not of the Bith race as would be common, but a band of mixed species that seemed to get along well with each other. There was an area for dancing and while he imagined there would usually be drunken dancing in this at night, at the moment, in the daytime, there was an interesting troupe of dancing girls; one-third Human, one-third Twi'lek, and one-third Togruta. They were each doing their own dance, showing the special eccentricities of each race. He resisted the urge to tell the Shili girls, for the sake of his wife, to rethink their lives—but he had a more important mission now. He then started to make a circular route around the perimeter of the dancing floor, close the the tables. He made a show of looking at the dancers, but he knew that it was just a matter of time before the person he was looking for would call him out. It happened soon enough.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't lover boy," said a raspy, yet sultry voice as he was walking around the perimeter of the dancers, "You and your goo-goo eyes ruined a great team, me and that silly Padawan."

"Hello, Asajj," returned the Admiral, looking towards her sitting at the far seat at a table. The person he was seeking had found him out. "How's the hunting?" he asked, turning to her.

"Pretty good, and it just got better with you showing up," Asajj Ventress said with a small shot glass millimeters away from her smirking lips.

"Well," returned Admiral Bonteri, "I have something better than the bounty on me," he said while sitting on the outside chair of the table, close to the dancing girls. He could feel the breeze of air disturbed by some of the Togruta girls twirling on the floor close by. They seemed to have an attraction to him.

"It better be, considering the price on your head," said Asajj.

"It is," he replied. He then decided to change the subject, just for a moment, perhaps to cool the assassin down. "You know, you and me, Asajj, have more in common than you might think."

"What in this forsaken galaxy could we have in common?"

"Well, for one, we were changed forever by the same man. Dooku tried to kill you; and Dooku killed my mother. I could only hold her as she took her last, few breaths," he ended sadly.

"I see," was all Asajj could reply deep in thought.

"He killed my mother, my father with his stupid war, and almost me as well, Asajj." His talkmate was very quiet. She seemed to relent a little in her harshness. "But I was saved by a woman you saved Asajj."

"I never saved nobody," she replied, "If I did, it was a mistake."

"Aye, but you did, Asajj. You saved Ahsoka, and, if my feelings and the feelings of my wife are correct, you saved the Jedi Order for the future."

"Pfft. The Jedi Order. They are the cause of this Empire. Although, I do have to say, with the Empire, me and my kind are, umm, how shall I say?—making a killing taking in the likes of you," she finished sardonically.

"Yes, Asajj, but tonight, I feel you won't."

"What makes you say so?"

"Well, Asajj, the way you're talking you surprise me that you haven't yet."

"That's because I'm more interested in the money you're talking about. You don't know. I might just get your money and the bounty on you on top of that. It's worth the try."

"Aye, but you won't."

"What makes you say so?"

"You are still packing the reds, Asajj, but you haven't become a Sith. All the power in the universe, Asajj, but you still don't want it. That is something no Sith would do. I should know."

Asajj Ventress smirked at the Admiral. "Well, enough driveling. What do you want?" Admiral Bonteri leaned in closer to his opposite. The noise of the cantina drowned out the talk, except for a sudden outburst from the white lady, coincidentally just as the music and dancing stopped so it was heard throughout the cantina.

"Oh, you do, do you?!" This was loud enough to turn a few heads and be heard by the pair on the roof. It turned a Mandalorain's helmet in the cantina—make that _two _Mandalorian helmets inside the cantina.

"Asajj, please, keep it down." His partner was barely able to breathe. "Hear me out. If you agree, you'll find the credit vault where I said it is. If you cross me, you'll get nothing."

"How much are we talking about?" The Admiral flexed out eight fingers and a series of '0's with his thumb and forefinger.

"Add another zero." He did so.

After a while—"It's a deal. Although I don't know why. I must be a sucker. Your woman suckered me last time."

The Admiral was about to reach into his tunic. As he did so, Ventress was about to pull her weapons, but they were interrupted by a Human waitress.

"Hello there, handsome. I got drink for you, courtesy of the ladies across the way." Lux turned to see who the waitress was talking about. As he did so, Ventress acceded to the deal by passing to him what he bought time for. He could see three of the Togruta women dancers lifting their glasses to him and gesturing him over. He smiled and lifted his glass, not so much to accede to their request, but to not cause a disturbance. He then got up from his chair with his acquisition safely tucked away. As he did so, he passed the thin packet he had taken out of his tunic to Ventress. As the Admiral got up and turned away, coincidentally at the same time as another patron in Mandalorian armor did the same, Asajj opened the packet. In it, she found a key card for a bank tucked nicely in with a Republic pardon for all her crimes, honored in perpetuity by the signer, one E. Palpatine, Chancellor of the Republic. She looked up with surprise to see the Admiral about halfway between her and the dancer women from Shili, who were, fortuitously, next to the door. And then—

And then, all hell broke loose.

—•—

**Thank you for reading this. Just a quick update. There was much more planned for this chapter but I wanted to get this in before May The Fourth. **

**First and foremost, I would like to thank Darksawr for letting me use his OC, 'Leonidas,' and for commenting on an earlier version of this chapter. Leonidas is in "The Mandalorian Rebel." It's a great story. Check it out. Starkiller just showed up.**

**I probably offended some people with the new codename for Kanan. I thought it would be pretty funny but also telling of his and Hera's relationship. I am, of course, expanding the dictionary definition of "squawman" as a Caucasian man married to an American Indian woman to the Star Wars galaxy to being married to a woman not of your planet or race. So, in essence, the Lux Bonteri here could also be considered a squawman. (History note, a movie by the same name from 1914 was the very first movie filmed in Hollywood.) The reason Sabine has her codename is because she is a dead-ringer for Eurasian supermodel, Anna Umemiya.**

**Speaking of Lux Bonteri, if you were to say he is too out of character here, I might not argue with you. He never was a joking kind of person in The Clone Wars series. (To think about it, there wasn't much humor in that series as it was—except for the jibes between Anakin and Obi-Wan. It might have been helped by a 'Trouble With Tribbles' sort of episode and not just funny looking aliens.) I had him a little out of character when talking about "laying the keel," (******"Sure Mando-One, sure. We, umm, together, umm, well, I help to, umm, you know, umm, kind of, umm, lay the keel . . ., and umm, . . . ."****) but I think I have corrected that. He is an officer and almost 40 so I thought he should have been more confident in his speech. I hope I didn't seem too uncouth with this turn of talk. It was an actual incident I heard on the radio a while back and it's always stayed with me as very funny.  
****

**I'm also worried that some might think Lux is a ladies man and has a thing for Shili women. I can understand that, but he is totally dedicated to Ahsoka.**

**Again, thank you for reading this. My next update will be for 'A Love Story of Two' as I am further along with it.**

**Until then,**

**johnt**

**PS. The "crunchies" the AT-DP is riding herd over are Stromtroopers; i.e, from the sound they make when a walker steps on one of them. "Blaster sponges" are the smaller escort ships with a Star Destroyer (the "Boomer"). (From "Glossary of military slang - Wiktionary" and "Glossary of U.S. Navy slang - Wiktionary")  
**


	3. A Worrisome Prospect

—•—

(All named characters are the property of Disney and LucasFilm, except:

Leonidas and HK are the property of darksawr; Zeri Bonteri is the property of Johnt12345.)

—•—

**The Rescue of Luminara Unduli**

**Chapter Three**

**A Worrisome Prospect**

—•—

Continued from the last chapter:

_As the Admiral got up and turned away, coincidentally at the same time as another patron in Mandalorian armor did the same, Asajj opened the packet. In it, she found a key card for a bank tucked nicely in with a Republic pardon for all her crimes, honored in perpetuity by the signer, one E. Palpatine, Chancellor of the Republic. She looked up with surprise to see the Admiral about halfway between her and the dancer women from Shili, who were, fortuitously, next to the door. And then—_

_And then, all hell broke loose._

—•—

"Get down! Now!" Lux Bonteri, Vice Admiral to the Alliance to Restore the Republic, shouted to the pretty Shili girls sitting a little ways away at a table close to the door in the Togruti-B version of their native language—_takinaroo! ista!_—as he brought his staves to bear. The girls did so, two of them screaming; one because she accidentally hit her montrals on the edge of the table; another because she was too slow in putting two-and-two together of someone not Togruta speaking the Togruti variant for humans to her and she was grazed with a stray blaster bolt. He protected the girls for a short moment from the blaster fire headed his way.

The two staves, when joined together, made a formidable staff weapon against a Sith lightsaber or another staff. But apart, they made an even better weapon against a blaster. The admiral was able to deflect blaster shots away from the girls and the other patrons, redirecting them back to their origins. Fortunately, their backup quickly arrived through the roof in the form of Kanan and Sabine, firing away and disarming their opponents even before they landed on the floor. Unfortunately, though, there were quite a few for the duo to take care of. Not quite a few—too many.

"Tunwoxwedi. Quapih eagare tochunaroo! Gurji!" /_i'll protect you. move over to the door and get out of here! quickly!_/ Lux told the girls as soon as there was a short respite in the firing. They quickly did so with the Admiral putting himself between them and the passel of bounty hunters. It was only a short moment later that the bounty hunters were back after him. Asajj, however, the very reason he, Kanan, Leonidas, and Sabine were here, seemed to be observing the fight with slight interest. Boredom, actually.

The two Mandolorians, one Leonidas, went straight for each other. They charged each other in the vital first few microseconds; the better to take down the other before he knew what happened. They were both Mandolorians and they charged each other with like violence. Leonidas leaped at the Mando, and the other Mando did the same. They both kicked each other a blow that would have ended a lesser opponent forever. However, these contestants, both furious in their demeanor, simply got back up.

"Leonidas, it has been a long time," said his opponent.

"Still working for Hutt scum, I see, Boba Fett. You won't get away with this."

"Prove it."

"I intend to," said Leonidas as he pulled out his dark saber from his pack. Activating it, it lengthened menacingly, as it was supposed to do. He then readied himself for the fight to defuse this threat, but also to keep him away from the others, one of whom he was going to protect with his all.

Leonidas came in first with a quick, hard down-thrust to Fett. The bounty hunter rocketed out of the way with his booster-pack, all the while unpacking his twin blasters and shooting at Leonidas, who had the excellent skill to block each and every bolt away from him, like the Jedi of old. Fett was a little shocked, but it didn't show as he kept the firing rate up. Fortunately for Leonidas, one of the blocked shots hit an ally of of Boba Fett's in the leg, disabling him, only to be taken down fully by Sabine from the side.

Both Sabine and Kanan had come bursting through the thin roof of this Tatooine building and were firing their blasters even before they hit the floor. One bounty hunter got very close to Sabine but she took out this scum with her dark saber, like Leonidas had taught her. Kanan, however, seemed to be having trouble. The battle was close so he couldn't use his blaster as much as he wanted to—and the last thing he could do was to brandish his lightsaber. That would bring dozens more—even those who could care less about what Boba Fett was doing here in the first place; just to get a chance to take down a Jedi. So Kanan had to use his fists more than he wanted or was used to. Fortunately, Sabine was there to give him some pointers.

"Squawman! You hit like a little girl! What are you doing?! You're going to get us both killed!"

So much for the pointers. Fortunately, just then the two bounty hunters took a laughing double-take at Kanan's call-sign. That gave him the instant to give one a hard upper-cut to the jaw and the other, a hard hit into the face. They both got knocked whoosy so then Kanan could finish them off in his usual fashion quickly with his blaster pistol.

"I knew that stupid name would come in handy," was Kanan's take on the moment to Sabine.

"Good job," was her only response.

The Admiral, meanwhile, was in a deal of hurt. He had two bounty hunters on him. One would be shooting a blaster at him while the other would try to come in on him to deal a thrust with a Tusken gaffee stick. These two were serious, going for the kill.

Zeb, who saw the Togruta girls flee the cantina screaming, came to the door.

"Stay there, Gummy Bear!" Skipper shouted. Yet again, another call-sign saved the day as the two bounty hunters then attacking Lux couldn't help but laugh at poor Zeb's call-sign, letting their guard down. One swipe by the Admiral and one shot from Zeb finished off the two. Lux and Zeb thought they had a rest and were ready to help the others, only to see two fresh bounty hunters come seemingly out of the woodwork after the pair.

"We need you for the retreat," Lux used the precious moments to say to Zeb.

"But Skipper—"

"That's an order. Shoot from the door but don't come in. Get HK in here for me pronto. Get Airbear topside!"

"Yes, sir." Zeb was a little dejected but after calling the droid, he stayed close to the door to shoot at a bounty hunter who was stupid enough to get close to the door. Then HK came up to him. "Inside, wire-brain." Zeb then quickly called Hera for air support or for a flying getaway.

HK came into the cantina; but for the first time in his activation, he didn't know what to do. He saw a fight in front of him, but he had orders from the Admiral to not shoot. He was about to overload his circuits when he heard someone shouting to him.

"HK! What the heck are you doing?! Get into this! Now!" HK turned a little to see the Admiral, fighting with his staff against another who had a smaller bo-staff. "What are you doing?!" the Admiral shouted again. "Shoot them!"

"I am under orders to not engage the enemy. Your orders, Skipper."

"Belay that order!"

"I do not recognize that command, sir."

"What?!"

"I do not—"

"I don't care what don't recognize! Belay that last order!"

"I do not recognize that command, sir."

The Admiral had two bounty hunters to deal with at the moment, his two staves twirling like a lightsaber—which was thanks to his wife. The last thing he wanted to hassle with was a crazy droid.

"Scuttle that—" the Admiral said after a hit across the face of a bounty hunter.

"I do not—"

"Rescind that—" after tripping one up.

"I do not—"

"Quit that—" upon knocking one out who came back on him.

"I do not—"

"Delete that—" après upending the first one.

"I do not—"

"Scrap that—" after upending a hunter.

"I do not—"

"You will be!" straight to the droid.

"I— Mm?"

"Mando-One! Assistance!" Lux yelled in between hits with the bounty hunters. But Leonidas was busy on his own and couldn't assist the Admiral even if he wanted to. He could hear the problem but couldn't get the chance to help. Boba Fett was on him and he was too far away and there was a deafening din caused by the fight.

Boba Fett himself just became very dangerous because he just branded high his own dark saber. Where he got it, no one knew—perhaps his father. Right then, Boba Fett came in with a strong leap and a high down thrust against Leonidas. Leonidas parried it expertly and then attacked with a high roundhouse kick, which Boba Fett ducked just as expertly. They then both went into each other with killing down-thrusts and one was able to parry the other. Again and again, they went into each other and each time the strike was blocked away. There was a miraculous opening by Boba Fett and Leonidas deftly took advantage with another high roundhouse kick that got Boba Fett solidly in the side. He rolled away from Leonidas and then activated his booster pack again and got out of the way of the charging Leonidas. Boba Fett was good, very good. As he was flying up in the air towards the high ceiling, Leonidas saw his chance to assist the Admiral with HK.

"HK! Cancel that last order from Skipper!" That was all he could do as he had to avoid Boba Fett, who in the short moment had positioned himself well against Leonidas.

"Yes! Cancel that last order!" yelled the Admiral.

In a nanosecond, HK came to bear with his blaster. "Take this, skinjobs!"

"Hey bolthead," shouted Zeb between shots to HK, "Who said you could take my line?"

"Take this, meatbags!"

"Just don't kill anyone!" shouted Lux right after. For a second time, Lux could see a dejected HK.

"All right," responded the droid lackadaisically as he started to nonchalantly shoot his blaster to put some of the bounty hunters out of business. After a few shots, HK went over to assist his master outside this mission, Leonidas, who was back again fighting with Boba Fett. Boba Fett had suddenly activated his backpack and quickly flew into the air all the while leaving a trail of small grenades blasting in his wake, tearing up the flooring of the dance area.

Now it was getting serious. HK was knocked back since most of the poppers were aimed at him but Leonidas took after Boba Fett for what he was worth. He then leaped with a jet-pack assisted leap at the scruffy green bounty hunter, knocking him back to the floor. But Boba Fett was up in a flash, brandishing his arm turning on a switch on his wrist, letting out a jet of fire that would have burned Leonidas to nothing if he hadn't ducked. Suddenly, as Boba Fett shortened the distance between him and Leonidas, going in for the chance at a kill, the loudest noise erupted from all sides of the cantina. In a second, scores of guards and like-dressed bounty hunters in the uniform of Jabba the Hutt brought blasters to bear on the aggressors. "In the name of Jabba the Hutt, ruler of this land, Stand Down! Bounty hunters!" shouted a tall, blue Twi'lek man with one lekku wrapped around his neck.

In a short time, they were put out of commission and Boba Fett detained. The crew of the Ghost, Leonidas, and the Admiral could finally put their guards at rest.

"Bib!" shouted Admiral Bonteri, "You're a life-saver," he ended exasperatingly. He then looked to Zeb, but not using his call-sign—they didn't want anymore trouble—"Call off Airbear," he said quietly. Then, with a nod, Zeb went to do just that off to the side a ways.

Bib Fortuna responded with a nod. "That's why I'm here Admiral," he smiled. "Actually, I'm here to get you as well. Jabba wants to see you about your prisoner." Bib Fortuna then looked at Boba Fett. "You are lucky Jabba likes you so much, Boba. He is not pleased with this."

"I'm not gonna pass up the bounty on this rebel here."

"And that is why Jabba will most likely go easy on you. But you'll have to do it later, on your own time; not while Jabba still pays you."

"Understood. You got friends in high places, rebel," Boba Fett said straight in the Admiral's face, "I'll get you yet," Boba Fett said as he turned and left the cantina unopposed.

"Wait a minute," Kanan protested, "You can't just let him go!"

"Neither can I keep him. I am under orders from Jabba."

"I understand, Bib," replied the Admiral, trying to keep Kanan in check. "Thank you for the save. Let's go see what Jabba wants," he said after exhaling a deep breath as he started to leave alone with Bib.

"Jabba also wants to see whoever is in charge of the one known as Ezra Bridger. He wants to say something to him," Bib said suddenly.

"That would be me," replied Kanan.

"Then let's go," replied Bib with the air of someone who has his orders followed—mostly because of this boss.

However, they were quickly interrupted by Asajj Ventress, who deftly got between the men and the speeder.

"You will bring back what I gave you, loverboy, as soon as you are finished. No questions asked. If you do not, I will hunt you down to the end of my days," Asajj finished seriously. The Admiral was dumbfounded at this, so all he could do was nod in understanding.

"A promise is a promise, Asajj," said Lux. And with that, the trio went to the speeder Bib came on, leaving the guards to police up the cantina and leave on the larger transport they came on. Before the Admiral got into the waiting speeder, he said quietly to Leonidas, "Mando-One, take Supermodel and Gummy Bear to Home Base. I have a feeling you'll be needed there before soon." Leonidas simply nodded, and the three went to wherever Hera parked the Ghost.

The trip in the speeder was short but quiet, Kanan was especially worried what Jabba wanted him for. He didn't know how Jabba knew Ezra even existed.

Soon, they entered precincts of the Palace. Small Hutt guard ships were lazily parked haphazardly around with the usual Nikto and Gamorrean guards lolling about. But yet, there seemed to be a tenseness in the guards that was in-discernable except to all but the most perceptive. Such was Lux, comparing now to that last visit he made to the Palace of Jabba to lock up the supposed Inquisitor for safe-keeping by Jabba, who was the reason for this visit now, according to Bib Fortuna. But he did notice this slight change in the atmosphere of the palace, didn't know why it was there, and was concerned for the reason for this new sensation.

Soon, Bib Fortuna lead Lux and Kanan through the passages, all the while the noise of the band and the smell of the alcoholic stupor were getting louder and stronger. Then the two entered the throne room of Jabba the Hutt. Divers species, what seemed at least one representative for each planet of the Galaxy, populated the relatively small room. Gamorreans, being the guards of the palace, where the most common single species, but there were others as well—Twi'lek, Duros, Amani, Bith, Human, of course, Theelin, Pau'an, and many others. Fortunately, Lux thought for some reason, there were no Togruta girls—at least not in his ken. But he knew that Jabba had many small rooms throughout the palace.

Lux then went and stood on the metal grating that was before the Thorne of Jabba the Hutt. He then wondered why this grating was there. What was under this? The last time he was here, he remembered, the same metal grating was there but it was more solid to the step than now. However, there was no time to contemplate this as he was before the Hutt. He then bowed to Jabba, as all do, but in a more friendly attitude than others.

"Lux Bonteri!" Jabba said through his interpreter droid, "Long time no see. The Rebellion keeping you busy? Or is it that big family?" Jabba finished with a deep barrel-laugh. There was no animosity from Jabba to this person.

Lux laughed along with Jabba, "Sometimes I can't tell the difference."

"Yes, yes," returned Jabba, "I know what you mean," said Jabba, ending contemplatively, which Lux couldn't pick up from the droid doing all the translating, but from the attitude of the large Hutt. "You know, Admiral, I've known Ahsoka longer than you but I could never imagine so many children inside her."

"Yes, me either," Lux said, causing a laugh from both. "Jabba," Lux returned to seriousness, "Thank you for the save."

"No problem. About that—I don't know why you are here, but I suppose you have a purpose. It just so happens that something occurred with your prisoner just a little while ago that I thought you should know about."

"What was that, if I may ask."

"She had her head chopped off."

The seriousness and the silence was thick throughout the Throne Room. Lux was shocked. "Can I see her?" he asked after gaining control of his emotions.

"Certainly. One of my guards will take you there. Make sure you see me on your way out."

"Thank you, Jabba." Then a Gammorean guard lead Lux and Kanan down some dark paths, towards the prison under this palace. Jabba, being in control of the majority of the planet, was ruler and could imprison those who displeased him. When Lux was last here just a little while ago, helping to incarcerate the woman whom they are going to see now, the rooms were mostly empty. Now, however, more of them were filled in a very short time. That brought Lux to think of the changes he felt in the atmosphere of the Palace. He sensed the tenseness of the guard leading him, as well as those who were not only guarding the palace outside, but also from, interestingly, Bib Fortuna. Then he realized the reason why. For some reason, almost imperceptible, Jabba had changed. There seemed something to be different about him. He wasn't here day in and day out, but he knew there must have been some reason for the change. Jabba seemed to be more short and impatient with others than before.

Finally, the clanging of the opening of a large door brought him out of his thoughts. The door opened and the first thing to hit him was a very bad smell. So bad that he had to put in a great effort to not vomit on the spot. Kanan had a similar attitude and was also fortunately able to control his emotions. There was not only the smell of death, but also the smell of rotting and dead vegetation. It was a smell he wished he never had to encounter and a smell he would never forget without an involuntary retching of his stomach. However, for some reason, he did not hold his nose. He would have in other circumstances but now he thought if he did so, it would get back to Jabba, and if so, it would not go over well. He didn't want to upset the Hutt. He then realized that this was a new feeling in his dealings with the Hutt, just not doing a simple action for fear of upsetting Jabba. This was perhaps an effect of the differences he felt between the previous visit and the one now. Kanan as well, thankfully, did not hold his nose.

So Lux went to the slim body in the middle of the room and bent down to examine her. Although her appearance had changed, he did recognize her. She seemed a little more harried, if that expression could be used to describe this. It was as if for her each day was an experience she wanted to forget.

The space that separated her head from her neck was clean and straight, telling of a skilled swordsman, and the cut itself, cauterized, was proof that that swordsman was proficient with a lightsaber. Putting these together caused a drop in the gut of the Admiral that he had never felt before—a feeling, from the Force perhaps for this one who was strong but not one who was mastered in it day in and day out. He felt the greatest danger and that an unaccountable evil had murderous plans on his wife and girls. From that moment, a furrowed brow was prominent, and would be present on his face in some form until he could make sure his family was safe.

He and Kanan then left. The guard could tell the nothing of what happened so Lux figured he just had to wait until he could get back to the Throne Room. Kanan almost had to help him, so worried and concentrated he was on this new menace to the family that he could barely keep his way. After some turns and some growls and screams from unknown species coming from the cells along the way, they made their appearance in the relatively well-lit Throne Room. Both the Admiral and Kanan came once more before Jabba the Hutt. Jabba noticed the sudden change in Lux.

"I see," Jabba brought Lux out of his worried thoughts through the translator droid, "You have seen something that worries you."

Lux was worried. He nodded and then asked if anyone saw her.

"My people tell me she looked like Mina, but with slightly different face patterns," informed Jabba. If there was something that could have worried him more, this was it. An assassin that looked like one of his daughters; one who could easily, through the the kindness of his own daughters, infiltrate and destroy his family. Bib Fortuna and others who saw her then described her in detail for the Admiral.

Then there was a pause and a great silence in the Throne Room. Lux didn't know what to say. "Well, no matter," came Jabba back again in a voice that caused Lux to suddenly look up to the Hutt, "My promise is done. No more is there reason to protect you." Lux's looked seriously at the sudden change in attitude from Jabba. "You may leave this one time. Come again, you are on your own," Jabba finished through his droid.

"Yes, thank you for your promise and protection, Jabba," the Hutt then looked angrily at Lux, "the Great," he quickly added. The Hutt then looked askance at the Admiral, a look he had never given him. "For your promise and protection, I would like to give you recompense," Lux returned, hoping the Hutt did not notice the slight shock in his voice that would be mistaken for fear. It was not. He then took out some small gems, each one worth more than a case of credits, and was about to give them to his majordomo, Bib Fortuna, but Jabba yelled that they should be given him directly as he held out his plump green hand. Lux then went slowly, all the while under the watchful eye of Kanan, to give the gems to Jabba. He put the gems in his hand but then Jabba suddenly closed his fist over Lux's hand. It was the first time he had ever touched Jabba. The Hutt looked closely at him.

"You have already been paying me to watch over the woman. Why do you give me so many, now that duty is done, Admiral Bonteri?" Then, "Are you afraid of me?" Jabba asked through his translator droid. There was a long silence while Jaaba was still holding Lux's hand in a tight grip. Then he suddenly let go. "ARE YOU AFRAID OF ME?" This time, there was no translation from the droid. One wasn't needed. The entire Throne Room was completely silent: no band, no dancing pretty Twi'lek girls; nothing. That was the scary part.

"Jabba the Great, unless a man gives me good cause, I do not fear him." The terminology Lux used, calling Jabba a man, seemed to relax the Hutt, just a little.

Again there was silence, then, suddenly, "Leave us now!" shouted out the Hutt. "Never come again or your life is forfeit!" Kanan and Lux started to leave but were held back one last time by the translator droid for Jabba the Hutt. "I have this for the master of one who calls himself Ezra Bridger." Kanan then turned around, but said nothing, not wanting to provoke the Hutt. "He has been using my name for himself. There is only one Jabba the Hutt. Either you tell him to stop—or I will."

And with that dreaded ending, the duo left the Palace and made their way outside. As they did so, they could see the murderous intent on some of the faces of those milling around. They knew they had to leave as quickly as possible. As they were doing so, Lux noticed something bothering Bib Fortuna. When they got to the area which was the spacious, dark area just before the great entrance gates, thankfully a distance from the Throne room, when no one was around, Lux asked what was the matter.

"Bib," he asked, "You seem to be concerned about something. Or, perhaps, afraid of something."

"I am," Bib responded. The after a silence, "It's Jabba. There's a new streak of cruelty in him. I'm sure you felt it."

"Yes, I did feel it. A new strain of tenseness from those who are around and serve Jabba; even those just visiting. What happened?"

"It was Gardula. She betrayed him. Ever since then, the streak of this meanness has come to overtake him. Now on a whim he kills; almost as if for pleasure or to put fear into those around him. I am afraid, but I cannot leave."

"I understand Bib, you are a smart person and will come out all right from this. My wife tells me that soon, there will be a new hope arising from the despotism of the Empire."

"That wouldn't matter to Jabba. Anyway, I am a slave, I cannot leave. Even if I wanted to; even if I tried, I could not get far on this planet. I will do what I can to survive."

"And I know you can. Good luck, Bib. Maybe we can meet in happier times."

"And good luck to you, Admiral Bonteri."

Fortunately, Kanan, while Lux was examining the body, had this premonition from the Force and asked for the _Phantom_ to stealthily come close to the Palace—hard by but undetected. And it wasn't too soon that Kanan signaled the Phantom, as both he and Lux, after the short conversation with Bib, with a sudden start, sprinted to the _Phantom_, driven by Hera—she was going to do what she could to get her man out of there—with Zeb protecting the back. Just as they got outside; and with a flying, Force-helped leap, they were soon safe inside the opened aft door of the small ship. And none too soon because they both and Zeb could see Boba Fett again racing out of the Palace with some comrades, to finally catch the Admiral. The _Phantom_ very soon was out of range of Boba Fett's jet pack, so the bounty hunter gave up the chase and flew back to the Palace.

Kanan gave out a large sigh of relief as did the Admiral—as best he could through this concerned mind. They then headed quickly back to the _Ghost_ for a fast exit from this hellhole, never to return. Even then, as they arrived at the _Ghost_, they could see a passel of bounty hunters start to converge on the ship, ready to catch the ripe prize; only to be held back by the two Mandos; no one in their right minds would attack those two now. The _Phantom_ deftly docked with the_ Ghost_, which then quickly took off, never to return to that planet until a short time after the second Death Star, and the Empire, were finally destroyed. The Admiral wanted to get to Shili as soon as possible; but there was a small, but complicated and dangerous mission—the very reason they had Asajj's lishtsabers—to accomplish beforehand. He and the crew wanted to keep their promise to someone important to them.

_Meanwhile on Shili_

The Stormtrooper Captain was shocked to his core. He and his remaining partner were on their way to the ship, unknowingly passing through the worst of the Akul runs. There was his lone partner was attacked, surrounded and beaten by a pair of Akuls. Terrible were these beasts, with long, sharp claws and frightening teeth. But what shocked him more was what he was seeing before his eyes. Now, before him a distance away, his partner was struggling under a giant paw holding him down. Then, horribly, an Akul, using a single claw, stripped the armor as if it were expertly shelling a crab. It knew exactly how to do it. The chestplate, the shoulder guards, the thigh guards; all were quickly detached from the struggling man and each time a protector was removed, one of the pair of the Akuls would take a bite from the struggling man, causing a yell of great pain from him. Then, finally, the helmet was deftly ripped off his head, and with one crush of the jaws into the head of the man, he stopped struggling. After doing so, the pair feasted shortly but then took the remains back to their nest. The Captain didn't move an inch all this time. Shock and fear helped with that.

Once the Akul were out of what he hoped was scent-range, he took off his own gear and threw it down the gorge. He was left in his black under suit. He knew what happened. He and his comrades had been sold short, expendable pawns in the game of war—worth less than even an ancient binary droid.

At this moment he gave up on the Empire. Any entity that could nonchalantly do what it did was not worth fighting for.

Unbeknownst to him, however, just at that moment as well, another group of life-forms were silently approaching him from behind. He didn't know they were there until he turned around—and was looking down the business end of a powerful rifle aimed right at his head, held steadily by a beautiful, blond woman with deep blue eyes and a lekku band in her hair. He then noticed he was surrounded by four other women he surmised were the Togruta race of this planet.

"What are you doing here, bucket head?" one of the Togruta women asked in perfect Basic.

"I— I don't know," he responded. He looked at the blond woman sighting him and thought it over. Was doing anything for the Empire anymore worth it? 'No,' he decided and reasoned that the women would listen to him. "After what I've seen, what I did, I no longer want to be with this Empire. You can shoot me now to end this conversation, but, know this, the Empire has just lost this soldier. I will no longer fight for the Empire."

The woman who asked the question then translated for the others. He could see that the blond girl didn't understand completely what he said by the fact that she didn't relent on the bead she had on him until the translation was finished. Afterwards, the blond said something to the Togruta woman in a language he had never heard, but all the while she still kept a narrow eye and the rifle pointed in his direction.

"She said she knows someone who can, if you are honest, help you," said the woman translating. "If you are not, you will be gutted and sent to the Akuls, but not necessarily in that order." The others laughed when the woman told them in their language what she said. The Captain, as can be imagined, was horrified after what he had just seen. "Come with us, and tell us your story," the Togruta woman said as she took his blaster.

And so he did, leaving nothing out about what had happened, telling them every detail—the shots fired at the woman, where, and what she looked like. The translator translated, the others, especially the blond girl, asked questions, but the more he said, the more concern he could see on the face of the human girl, until, before they had got very far, Zeri Bonteri, for that is who she was, felt more fear for her family than on the night the Grand Inquisitor attacked their home. Her companions, who knew her story, were fearful for her as well and showed their concern for her.

—•—

**Thank you for reading this. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**First off, I would like to thank darksawr ("Rise of Starkiller") for the use of two OCs, Leonidas and HK; and for the go ahead for this chapter. Please go read his stories. (The reason Lux had a problem getting through to HK was that he is programmed only to respond to "cancel" in countermanding an order, according to darksawr.)**

**I think many people will call Jabba the Hutt very OOC in this chapter. Instead of making him the totally evil thing he is in many stories, I did something else and thought to mellow him out a little. I made him sort of a Christopher Walken-type of mafioso; you know, a gangster with a heart of gold. I have seen a story of Jabba on a different site where he conducts one evilness after another, "Tale of the Worm" or something like that I think it is called. To me, after reading that story, rather than showing the depravity of Jabba the Hutt, it showed the depravity of the mind of the writer. I sort of felt sorry for the writer after reading the first chapter. In any case, I couldn't go there and, in fact, decided to go the opposite with him here. In this story, you can see where he starts to really get bad, though—so there is some of that.**

**The fight between Leonidas and Boba Fett was the result of some research of the fight scene between Pre Visla and Darth Maul in "Shades of Reason." However, is Kanan a little too weak in this fight scene? (Please tell me what you think.) We've seen him fight well with a blaster and a lightsaber, but not hand-to-hand in very close quarters, as this scene is.  
**

**Let me apologize for the very long delay in the update. If you may have been reading some of my stuff, you know that I have made a version for the Togruta language for those who are not Togruta, which I called Togruta-B. Norik956 has been kind enough to mention that in the chapter just before the newest in his Tale of a Togruta story. Thank you for that. That is one of the reasons for the delay. After finishing the last chapter of this story, I saw that I needed to set the language down in digital to the best detail I could before I wrote the update for the Love Story. It then took me past the summer to finish that and then I updated the Love Story. I then got caught up in another story idea which I put on the site, Grassy Knoll (which I will probably soon take down).**

**But more than that, problems with work projects has tired me mentally so that I have become what I suppose is the bane of all writers: Lazy. Rather than write, I found it easier to pass my days reading some great Luxsoka stories; those from old standbys like Lux's Sister, Norik956, david . davies . 5851 (remove the spaces on either side of the periods when you do a search), Starwarshobbitfics, sniperdude351, Annie Luna (a Spanish Luxsoka, no less—reading it through Google Translate), and others, as well as some great new Luxsoka from TitaniaSarys ("Shadows of Remembrance" &amp; "****In the Gardens of the Bonteri Estate") and chawk1993 ("Goodness in Life"), sarasai ("A Meeting in the Wings"), and some others (like 5 . 56X45 if the story moves that way)—as well as some not so good stories.**

**In any case, I hope you do not become lazy. Like Norik956 told me, try to please make time every day to continue your writing.**

**For me, things have been looking better so I hope to get more writing done; and still read all those great stories from you guys. However, rather than have updates written newly each time, I am thinking about just finishing the stories so you wouldn't have to wait so long again. Thank you for staying with me this far.**

**Take care,**

**johnt**

**PS. I'll be posting a new short story soon after this since I wanted to get something Rebels-era before the show moves along too far. After that, I hope to post something for the Love Story where QooQoo and Makepeace, from different directions, head for the reception party.**


End file.
